There's a variety of entertainment planned for the Region. Here's a list of what's on tap.
• Soul singer Leela James is currently enjoying another Top 10 single on the Billboard R&B Chart with her single, "Right Back In It," the follow up to her last Top10 hit, "Complicated." Both are sure to be heard when James performs an 8 p.m. show this Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northwest Indiana on its Hard Rock Live auditorium stage, with special guest, Eric Roberson. Tickets are $49.
On Friday, the Hard Rock Cafe stage features high energy party rock group, Libido Funk Circus, followed by the equally energized Lounge Puppets band on Saturday. Both performances start at 9 p.m. The Council Oak Bar elsewhere in the casino presents live blues both night from 8 p.m. to midnight. Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee Dave Spector brings his band to the stage on Friday, followed on Saturday by the jazz/blues of The Mike Wheeler Band. More: hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com.
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• Hobart Art Theater (230 Main St.) in downtown Hobart presents Selena: The Show. The star of the 8 p.m. production is Karla Perez, widely regarded as the top tribute performer keeping the music of the late "Queen of Tejano Music" alive for new generations. Perez and her top shelf backing group offer fans a concert experience that includes Selena’s best-loved hits: “Como La Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Dreaming of You,” “I Could Fall in Love,” “Amor Prohibido” and more. Tickets start at $25. On Saturday the venue presents a 7:30 p.m. double-header featuring Without U2 (U2 tribute) and Driver 8 (R.E.M. tribute). Tickets: $15 and up. More: brickartlive.com.
• Danny Lemmon hosts his monthly "Songwriters Night" this evening from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Montego Bay Grille (322 Main St.) in Hobart. Along with Lemmon, the four songwriters scheduled to perform their original tunes in consecutive showcase sets are Mario Samaniego, Scott Reichard, Tom Bickler and Will Kline. More: 219-940-3152 or facebook.com/mobaygrille.
• The Shout Out Trio -- Greg Guidotti, Salena Pena and Lauren Dukes -- give an acoustic concert tonight from 7-10 p.m. at Northwoods Falls (8101 Wicker Ave.) in St. John. The Muddsharks rock the venue on Friday, before the full, five-piece Shout Out band return plugged in for a electric throw down on Saturday. Showtime: 8:30 p.m. both nights. More: northwoodsfalls.com or 219- 351-5148.
• Acoustic music happens tonight in Dyer as well, as Finnegan's Pub (1074 Joliet St.) presents The Strings Beyond Description at 8 p.m. Keith Jackson & Triple Dose perform a mix of reggae, funk and blues on Saturday at 9 p.m. Hosted "Open Mic Nights" are featured every Sunday (a 6 p.m. opening on Easter) and Tuesday at 9 p.m. More: finnegansdyer.com or 219-865-9896.
• Leroy's Hot Stuff (333 W. U.S. 20) in Porter presents karaoke tonight from 8-11 p.m. Derek Caruso & The Blues Fuse hits the stage on Friday at 8 p.m. Dance/rock covers are the featured fare on Saturday with the band Seldom Told. The weekly "Sunday Blues Jam" is on hiatus due to Easter and will return next weekend. More: leroyshotstuff.com or 219-926-6211.
• Last week's Thursday "Open Mic" has now become a weekly event at Lia's Bella Cucina (401 Broadway) in Chesterton as musical host Tom McClure signs up players from 5:30-8:30 p.m. More: 773-904-7266.
• Americana touring trio -- Frontier Ruckus -- performs Friday at Acorn Theater (107 Generations Drive) in Three Oaks, Michigan at 7 p.m. Central/8 p.m. Eastern. The swamp sounds of Louisiana Calling is on stage Saturday. The mash-up project features the veteran New Orleans roots band The Iguanas, with twice Grammy-nominated slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth, for an evening of powerful music blending blues, Americana, Latin rock, and Zydeco Tickets: $60 & $80. More: acornlive.org.
• NWI dance/rock band Party Foul is doing a weekend tour of Crown Point it seems, with a show on Friday at Two Bills Tap (9201 E. 109th Ave.), followed by a show on Saturday at Buddy and Pal's (1206 E. Summit St.). Both kick off at 8:30 p.m. More: facebook.com/partyfoulband.
• Singer/guitarist Jack Cunningham plays acoustic from 7-10 p.m. tonight at Three Monkeys Pub (21 W. 112th Ave.) in Crown Point. More: 219-662-7000.
• Love rock music of all eras? Then Rockology is your band, as their repertoire spans the gamut and their goal is to get folks up and dancing. See them on Friday at Fricke's Recreation (519 N. Grant St.) in Crown Point from 7-11 p.m. More: facebook.co/rockologychicago.
• Jessi Lopez Schmidt and Drew Stolz of the group Jessi & The Fizz, perform as an acoustic duo tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Drift On Pine (1251 Pine Lake Ave.) in LaPorte. More: 219-380-0028.
• The ERAS tour stops at Track Lounge (318 N. Jackson St.) in Crown Point on Saturday. No, not THAT "Eras" tour; this is the NWI quartet that covers multi-eras of rock music from the hippies to the heavy. More: facebook.com/ERAS.Rock.Tribute.
• Little Giant plays classic rock and dance hits on Saturday at Tuscan Gardens (601 Holbrook Road) in Glenwood from 7-11 p.m. The venue has a large dance floor, so bring comfy shoes. Reservations are recommended if having dinner. More: facebook.com/TuscanGardensGlenwood.
• Tyjon Charlie (aka "The One Man Band") will do his thing at The Quarry Ballroom (121 S. Williams St.) in Thornton on Saturday from 7-10 p.m. More: thequarryThornton.com.
• Grammy Award-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues and soul band Southern Avenue has signed with Chicago's legendary blues label Alligator Records (alligator.com). The group is a melting-pot of Memphis blues and soul, fueled by front woman Tierinii Jackson's soaring, gospel-inflected vocals and Israel-born Ori Naftaly's mesmerizing guitar work. The band's as-yet-untitled Alligator Records debut was recorded in Memphis at the famous Royal Studios (Al Green, Ann Peebles), produced by John Burk (Ray Charles, George Benson) and engineered by Boo Mitchell.
• Chicago singer/songwriter/actor/author Pete Berwick has released his latest album in digital format only. That seven song collection is titled, "Frustration Alley," and can be purchased via the artist's website: peteberwick.net. Berwick has also released a separate single-only treatment of the Boudleaux Bryant song, "Love Hurts," previously a hit for both the Everly Brothers and Scottish rock band Nazereth also available for download.
• New York rock troubadour Willie Nile has a new album -- "Live At Daryl's House Club" -- and this Tuesday will guest on my weekly "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges" (7-8 p.m.) radio program on 89.1FM-Lakeshore Public Media. My friend Willie and I will talk about his latest musical adventures and the intimate 7 p.m. performance he will give on April 16 at Front Porch Music (505 E. Lincolnway) in Valparaiso.
My other radio show -- "Midwest BEAT Blues" -- airs Fridays (7-9 p.m.) on 89.1FM-Lakeshore Public Media. Stream both shows at lakeshorepublicmedia.org.
The blues program also airs on WIMS-AM/FM -- AM-1420, 106.7FM and 95.1FM every Tuesday (5-7 p.m.) and Sunday (4-6 p.m.); the same place one can tune in my all vinyl records program, "Needle Drop," on Sundays from 6-9 p.m. Streaming WIMS live at wimsradio.com.